The sun shines bright throughout the carriage, causing my eyes to flutter open. 'Well, looks like I won't be getting anymore sleep.' I thought as I slowly got out of bed and dressed for the day. Once I was ready, I walked along the train and found Evie sitting at her desk, however, Jacob doesn't appear to be anywhere aboard the train.
"Good morning (Name)." She said as she glanced over towards me before returning to whatever it is she's doing.
"Morning Evie. Jacob left already?" I couldn't help but ask.
"Yeah, left as soon as he got up. You'll find him somewhere around London, should you want to." I could hear a slight teasing tone in her voice as she spoke.
"After what happened, I think it's best we stay away from each other." Before she could ask, I continued. "Anyway, I think I'm just going to go for a walk and see what trouble I can find. My blades been missing the Blighters and London needs them gone." With that, I walked out of the carriage and into the streets of London.
Time skip
Walking into an alleyway, I find myself face-to-face with a Brute, who looked at me with a smirk.
"Well, well, well, look what we have here. A lone assassin walking the streets of London? My, you're just asking to be killed." He said as he pulled out a knife.
"You Blighters are all the same. Thinking you can take us down. News flash sweetheart, you can't stop us. We will do whatever it takes to stop you and free London from Starrick, this I swear." Nothing else was said as I lunged at him, catching him off guard, and plunged my blade deep within his torso. His knife fell to the ground as he fell to his knees.
"There's more of us then you think, assassin." He said before losing his life. I pulled my blade from his stomach and wiped the blood off.
"And each will fall, no matter how long it takes." With that, I walked out of the alley and back onto the streets. It wasn't long before I stumbled upon a parked carriage and heard a familiar voice speaking.
"Jacob, darling! Do join me!" I stopped in my tracks and couldn't help but listen in.
Jacob's POV
I watched as Pearl poured us both a glass of champagne. 'Well, one couldn't hurt.' I thought as I took the glass.
"To our fruitful partnership." I replied as I held my glass out.
"And to the shiny new engines now in my possession!" We toast before she continues. "Now then, back to business. Millner's fled to the Thames – occupied with securing his ferry, it's all he has left."
"Protecting it with his life, no doubt."
"The very thing I want you to take. Just kill him."
"That's not your first glass of champagne, is it?"
"Success is more intoxicating than alcohol, Mr Frye."
"Then save a glass for me." I said as I gave her the, now empty, glass before leaving the carriage. As I stumbled out of the carriage, I happened to have run into (Name).
"(Name), what are you doing here?" I asked her.
End of POV
'Bloody hell, this isn't good.' I thought as Jacob questioned me.
"Umm, I was simply walking around the streets of London and happened to be here when you got out of the carriage. I'm sorry, I'll just be leaving now." Just as I was about to walk away, I felt his hand grab mine.
"Do you really need to leave? Why don't you join me?" I could hear a bit of hope I his voice, as if he really wants me to go with him. I stood there thinking, knowing that if I went along with him, it wouldn't help in distancing myself from him. But then, I looked into his eyes and caved, knowing that I couldn't walk away after seeing the slight pleading look in his eyes.
"Alright, what are we doing?" I asked, pretending as if I hadn't heard the whole conversation between him and Pearl.
"We are going to pay Millner a visit." With that, he begins walking off and I simply followed him. Before I knew it, we were making our way across the Thames.
"Seriously, what are we doing?" I asked once we hopped aboard a boat with Blighters around, a boat that looks to be smuggling something.
"First things first, we need to get Millner's attention. What better way than the contraband going up in flames?" I couldn't help but smile slightly at him, before shaking my head and looking away.
"Must everything go up in flames with you?" I asked.
"Of course, more fun that way. Now, to sink Millner's enterprise." We set to work and before we knew it, it all went up in flames.
Somewhere along the docks, we saw Millner, who didn't look all that impressed with the Blighters around. 'Serves them right for not taking better care of the boat.' I thought and couldn't help but giggle slightly.
"What the bloody hell?" We heard him say before we infiltrated the docks and remained hidden from both Millner and the Blighters. "You were supposed to watch over them! What do I pay you oafs for?"
So, how should we do this?" I whispered to Jacob as we got closer and closer to where Millner was standing.
"Hmmm...wait until he's close enough before striking?" he replied.
"Wow, your plan puts others to shame." I said sarcastically.
"Shh, he's almost within range." Nothing else was said as we waited. Once he was close enough, we looked at each other before dropping down and plunging our blades deep within Millner. He let out a gasp and slowly fell to the ground.
"I knew this day would come...Mr. Starrick was furious I lost the engines. So, this is my comeuppance?" Millner said. I simply stood there as Jacob spoke.
"Pearl Attaway led me to you, not Starrick."
"Then they're working together again. I should never have come between Mr. Starrick and Miss Attaway. Family always stay together in the end." My eyes widened in shock at his words. 'Starrick and Pearl...are family.'
"What do you mean, they're family?" Jacob had his hands on Millner, wanting to know answers, and I don't blame him. Before anything else was said, Millner took his last breath before lying still. "Time for Pearl and I to have a real conversation." He said before walking away. I simply remained silent and followed him, trying to process what just happened.
Mini time skip
We soon found ourselves near a warehouse, where we saw Pearl enter not long ago.
"There you are. What are you up to now, Pearl?" We looked at each other before nodding and made our way inside. It wasn't long until we heard her speaking.
"I was certain he knew that I belonged to the Order and was there to end me. Imagine my delight when he told me his true purpose. An assassin helping the Templar cause? Isn't the delicious?"
"It's sickening." An unfamiliar voice replied.
"It's business, cousin. Look at the big picture. With Millner gone, I own the only omnibus company in London. We already have a monopoly English transportation; the moment your engines power my buses, we will be legends!"
"That was my plan from the start, with Millner. You forced my hand with your clever little train robbery."
"Crawford," as soon as she said that name, I looked at Jacob in shock. "I thought a reconciliation was in order. Do you have no happy memories of our childhood? Summers in Midford? You and I, down by the brook..."
"This is a formal meeting, Pearl. Your sentimentality is unbecoming."
"Unbecoming? I've had to hear that odious word dribble from men's lips all my life. Refusing to marry is unbecoming. Refusing to allow a man to conduct my affairs is unbecoming. How unfortunate that I didn't accept your hand in marriage all those years ago. How easy things would be for you now. The omnibuses would be yours by right and I would be at home, acting as hostess to your guests instead of standing here being so...unbecoming!"
"It always ends this way with you, Pearl. I wish it were not so." It was silent for a bit before she spoke up and said,
"You glower too much, cousin. You will get your engines back. Our new motorized buses will bring us both a lot of money."
"I'll need to arrange proper transport for the engines to get back to my factory. I want you at Waterloo, personally, to ensure that nothing goes wrong."
"Of course. May the Father of Understanding guide us."
"Today and in all of our future endeavours, cousin." Noticing that it was the end of the conversation, Jacob and I made our way out of the warehouse, remaining unseen.